Australian Water Information Dictionary

Water status: Design rainfalls

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ANCOLD

Australian National Committee on Large Dams

This definition applies to:

annual exceedance probability

The probability that a given rainfall total accumulated over a given duration will be exceeded in any one year.

Related: average recurrence interval

This definition applies to:

ARR

Australian rainfall and runoff

This definition applies to:

average recurrence interval

The average or expected value of the periods between exceedances of a given rainfall total accumulated over a given duration. It is implicit in this definition that the periods between exceedances are generally random.

Related: annual exceedance probability

This definition applies to:

CDIRS

computerised design IFD rainfall system

This definition applies to:

generalised short-duration method

Appropriate for estimating probable maximum precipitation for durations up to six hours and for an area of less than 1000 square kilometres.

Related: probable maximum precipitation

This definition applies to:

generalised southeast Australia method

Appropriate for estimating probable maximum precipitation in regions of Australia where tropical storms are not the source of the greatest rainfall depths and where topographic influences vary markedly.

Related: probable maximum precipitation

This definition applies to:

generalised tropical storm method – revised (GTSMR)

Appropriate for estimating probable maximum precipitation in regions of Australia affected by tropical storms.

Related: probable maximum precipitation

This definition applies to:

GSAM

generalised southeast Australia method

Appropriate for estimating probable maximum precipitation in regions of Australia where tropical storms are not the source of the greatest rainfall depths and where topographic influences vary markedly.

Related: probable maximum precipitation

This definition applies to:

GSDM

generalised short-duration method

Appropriate for estimating probable maximum precipitation for durations up to six hours and for an area of less than 1000 square kilometres.

Related: probable maximum precipitation

This definition applies to:

GTSMR

revised generalised tropical storm method

Appropriate for estimating probable maximum precipitation in regions of Australia affected by tropical storms.

Related: probable maximum precipitation

This definition applies to:

IFD

intensity-frequency-duration

This definition applies to:

PMF

probable maximum flood

The largest flood that could conceivably occur at a particular location.

Generally, it is not physically or financially possible to provide general protection against this event. This flood defines the maximum extent of land liable to flooding. The extent, nature and potential consequences of flooding associated with the PMF event should be assessed in a Flood Study. The PMF event may form the basis of evacuation planning and the identification of refuge areas. Considerations should be given to adopting the PMF event as the design flood event for emergency services planning and for determining the location and floor levels of facilities such as telephone exchanges, police stations and hospitals. The PMF event may also be used to develop land use development guidelines in the floodplain management plan.

Source: Flood Victoria

Related: probable maximum precipitation

This definition applies to:

probable maximum flood

The largest flood that could conceivably occur at a particular location.

Generally, it is not physically or financially possible to provide general protection against this event. This flood defines the maximum extent of land liable to flooding. The extent, nature and potential consequences of flooding associated with the PMF event should be assessed in a Flood Study. The PMF event may form the basis of evacuation planning and the identification of refuge areas. Considerations should be given to adopting the PMF event as the design flood event for emergency services planning and for determining the location and floor levels of facilities such as telephone exchanges, police stations and hospitals. The PMF event may also be used to develop land use development guidelines in the floodplain management plan.

Source: Flood Victoria

Related: probable maximum precipitation

This definition applies to:

probable maximum precipitation

The greatest depth of precipitation for a given duration meteorologically possible for a given size storm area at a particular location at a particular time of the year, with no allowance made for long-term climatic trends.

Source: World Meteorological Organisation (1986). Manual for Estimation of Probable Maximum Precipitation. Second Edition. Operational Hydrology Report No. 1, WMO – No. 332, Geneva

Synonym: PMP

This definition applies to: